Japan's Upper House delays vote on security bills

(VOVworld) – On Wednesday, Japan's ruling and opposition parties delayed their final vote on security bills after opposition politicians blocked doorways in parliament, despite efforts by prime minister Shinzo Abe to consolidate cross-party support for the controversial legislation.

Protesters in Yokohama tried to delay a car carrying members of the security bills committee by laying down on the ground. (Photo: Reuters)

According to the Kyodo news agency, the stalemate continued on Thursday. An estimated 13,000 people gathered under drizzle outside parliament in Tokyo on Wednesday, demanding the bills be scrapped ahead of the scheduled committee vote — the penultimate stage before the bills become law in Japan.
Wednesday's street protests were the latest in weeks of rallies that have attracted tens of thousands to oppose Mr Abe's plans to expand the role of the military — a show of public anger on a scale rarely seen in Japan.